Apparatus for transporting workpieces

ABSTRACT

In apparatuses of the generic type, single point modules are provided which can transfer only the transport wagons arriving from one point branch optionally into one of the two other point branches. It is achieved by the development of the point modules according to the invention as T-shaped double point modules (40) that each point branch (42, 44, 46) can be connected optionally to one of the other two point branches, which results in a construction of a network transport path system of a simpler construction which requires less space and provides a better overview. For narrowing the spacing of parallel transport path routes (76, 80), point modules (72) are proposed whose branch angle is less than 90°, preferably 45°. Apparatus with flexible transport path and assembly systems in industrial production plants are a preferred application sector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an apparatus for transporting workpeices. Theapparatus includes a transport path (track) system for transport wagons(carriages). The transport path system which passes by workplaces, iscomposed of route modules and point (switching) modules, each providedwith running surfaces for the transport wagons and support surfaces forthe lateral guidance of the wagons. In the point modules the lateralguidance is effected by guide elements, such as rotatably mountedrollers which are arranged on the opposite transport wagon sides thatare oriented parallel to the plane of the transport path. The guideelements are perpendicular to the plane of the running surfaces andengage in guides of the point modules. The engagement on a side of thetransport wagon parallel to the transport path is discontinued bychanging the setting of the guide elements at the point module and/or onthe transport wagons from an operative position determining thedirection of travel to an inoperative, lateral position. In a knownapparatus of this generic type, the transport path system is providedwith simple point modules, on which only the transport wagons arrivingon one of the two coaxially opposite point branches can optionally betransferred into the coaxially opposite point branch or into the pointbranch which is diverted at a right an design requires additional pointconnections to make it possible for the travel paths of the transportwagons to be fixed in an as flexible and optimum manner as possible in anetwork transport path system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved transport pathsystem of the above-outlined type from which the discussed disadvantagesare eliminated.

This object and others to become apparent as the specificationprogresses, are accomplished by a first embodiment of the invention,according to which, briefly stated, the transporting apparatus includesa wagon and a transport path system for guiding the wagon. The transportpath system includes first and second longitudinally aligned, mutuallyspaced route modules defining a first travel path; third and fourthlongitudinally aligned, mutually spaced route modules defining a secondtravel path; and a point module assembly coupling the first, second,third and fourth route modules to one another and having switchableguide elements for routing the wagon. The point module assembly includesa first T-shaped double point module having two opposite point branchescoupled tot he first and second route modules, respectively and adiverted point branch extending at an angle from the opposite pointbranches. The point module assembly further has a second T-shaped doublepoint module including two opposite point branches coupled to the thirdand fourth route modules, respectively; and a diverted point branchextending at an angle from the opposite point branches of the secondT-shaped double point module and having an end arranged face-to-face toan end of the diverted point branch of the first T-shaped double pointmodule.

Objects of the invention are further accomplished by a second embodimentof the invention according to which, briefly stated, the transport pathsystem includes first and second longitudinally aligned, mutually spacedroute modules; a third route module spaced from the first and secondroute modules and extending parallel thereto; and a point moduleassembly coupling the first, second and third route modules to oneanother for causing the wagon to travel from the first route module tothe second route module through the point module assembly or for causingthe wagon to travel from the first route module to the third routemodule through the point module assembly. The point module assemblyincludes a point module having two opposite ends coupled to the firstand second route modules, respectively; a first, linear wagon-guidingstrip extending between the opposite ends and being switchable betweenan operative and an inoperative position; and a second wagon-guidingstrip extending from the first route module to an additional end of thepoint module. The second wagon-guiding strip has, at the additional end,a direction forming an angle of less than 90° with the firstwagon-guiding strip. The second wagon-guiding strip includes a curvedstrip portion switchable between an operative and an inoperativeposition. The point module assembly further has a counter-arc modulehaving a first end arranged face-to-face with the additional end of thepoint module; a second end connected to the third route module; andwagon-guiding strips defining a curved travel path from the first end ofthe counter-arc module to the third route module.

The arrangement according to the invention has the advantage that, withan optimum selection of travel paths, additional point connections arenot required and the transport path system can be planned andconstructed in a simpler manner which requires less space and provides abetter overview. The T-shaped double point module according to theinvention is a universal component which allows two mutually approachingtransport path routes to be joined together and led into a routediverted at a right angle, and allows one transport path route to branchinto two routes diverging at a right angle.

It is particularly advantageous for the transport path system to have atleast at one junction two T-shaped double point modules which are joinedtogether by their diverted point branches. By this means, four transportpath routes can be connected to one another in the smallest space insuch a way that transport wagons from each of the four transport pathroutes can travel without stopping in each of the three other routes.

For the mechanical construction of a T-shaped double point module adesign is proposed which is known per se and in which the guide groovesare provided on the point module in guide strips which can be displacedor swivelled from an operating position into a non-functional sideposition.

In a further embodiment of the invention the transport path systemcomprises at least one point module with a branch angle of less than90°, preferably 45°, and preferably comprises at least one counter-arcmodule, the arc angle of which corresponds to the branch angle of thisone point module. With point modules and counter-arc modules constructedin this way, space-saving solutions can be achieved in respect ofparallel and passing routes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first preferred embodiment, showing ajunction of four transport path routes implemented by two T-shapeddouble point modules.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II--II of FIGS. 1 and 4.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III--III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a second preferred embodiment, showing apartial region of a transport path system with a 45° point module andtwo route modules which are arranged adjacently in parallel with narrowspacing and which are connected to each other via a 180° deflectionmodule.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The transport path system according to FIGS. 1 to 3 has four transportpath routes 10, 12, 14, 16, which are constructed as individual modulesor are composed of individual modules, for transport wagons 20, whichare each provided with their own drive. The latter can preferably be fedfrom an accompanying battery and/or from supply lines integrated in thetransport path routes. Each transport wagon 20 has four running wheels22 which rest on flat running surfaces 24 (FIG. 2) of transport pathsupports 26, arranged parallel to one another, of the individualtransport path routes. For the lateral guiding of the transport wagons20, the latter are provided on their longitudinal edges 28 parallel tothe path in each case with two guide rollers 30 which are mountedrotatably perpendicular to the plane of the running surfaces and whichextend between parallel guide strips 32, 34 which are attached to thetransport path supports 26. The lateral guiding, described above, of thetransport wagons 20 in the straight transport path routes 10 to 16represents only one of several possible designs. The straight transportpath routes 10 to 16 could also be provided on the other longitudinaledges 28, parallel to the path, of the transport wagons 20 withcorresponding guide strips 32, 34 for the guide rollers provided at thatpoint on the transport wagons 20. Furthermore, the transport wagons 20could be provided in the region of their corners with further guiderollers which rest on the inside of upwardly projecting guide strips ofthe transport path supports 26.

The four transport path routes 10 to 16 are connected to one another ata junction 36 in such a way that the transport wagons 20 from each ofthe four routes can optionally travel into one of the three other routeswithout stopping. The junction 36 is composed of two point modules 40constructed according to the invention as T-shaped double points, thediverted point branches 42 of which are connected to each other and thecoaxially opposite point branches 44, 46 of which are connected in eachcase to one of the transport path routes 10 to 16. The two point modules40 are of identical construction and each has a base plate 48 with arunning surface 40 which lies in the same plane as the running surfaces24 of the transport path supports 26. Furthermore, the point modules 40are provided with individual guide strips 52, 54, 56, 58 which are eachprovided with a guide groove 60 intended for engagement of the guiderollers 30 on the transport wagons.

The guide strips 52 to 58 are guided displaceably on the base plate 48and are connected to actuators 62 (FIG. 3) which are provided for thepreferably program-controlled displacement of the guide strips from anoperating position into a non-functional side position and vice versa.In the point positions shown in FIG. 1, the guide strips 54 and 56assume their non-functional side position, whereas the guide strips 58are in the operating position and deflect the transport wagons 20,arriving on the transport path route 12, in the direction of the arrowsA and B onto the transport path route 14, and vice versa. By appropriatedisplacement or adjustment of the guide strips 52 to 58, any desiredtravel path can be set among the transport path routes 10 to 16. For thesmooth transition between the arriving transport path routes 10 to 16and the guide strips 58 of the point modules 40 or between the pointmodules 40 themselves, non-adjustable guide strips 64 to 70 are attachedto the base plates 48 of said point modules, which guide strips areprovided with corresponding guide grooves to receive the guide rollers30 of the transport wagons 20. Reverting to FIG. 1, the non-adjustableguide strips 68 and 70 carried by the diverted point branch 42 of one ofthe two point modules 40 are in alignment with and are mutualcontinuations of the non-adjustable respective guide strips 70 and 68carried by the diverted point branch of the other of the two pointmodules 40. The diverted point branches of the two point modules are inan end-to-end orientation relative to one another. Furthermore, meansare provided, as known and the not illustrated in detail, which liftfrom the running surface the running wheels of the transport wagonswhich lie in each case on the outer arc.

In the transport path system according to FIG. 4 for transport wagons20, a point module 72 is provided which connects a transport path route74 to a transport path route 76, which is arranged coaxially to saidtransport path route 74, and to a parallel-running transport path route80 via a counter-arc module 78. The two transport path routes 76, 80 areconnected to each other via a reversing module 82 which is composed oftwo 90° arc modules 84,86. The transport wagons 20 and the straighttransport path routes 74, 76, 80 are of identical construction to thecorresponding parts of the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, but, in thiscase, the straight transport path routes are provided on both sides ofthe transport wagons 20 parallel to the path with guide strips 32, 34.The sectional diagram along the line II--II in FIG. 4 correspondsaccordingly to the sectional diagram according to FIG. 2.

Mounted displaceably on a base plate of the point module 72 are twoguide strips 88, 90 which can be shifted by an adjustment apparatus (notillustrated) from an operating position into a non-functional sideposition, and vice versa, the one guide strip assuming its operatingposition and the other its non-functional side position in each case.The guide strips 88, 90 are constructed in cross-section like the guidestrips 52 to 58 of the first exemplary embodiment, cf. FIG. 3 of thedrawing. For the smooth transition onto the guide strip 90, the point:module 72 is provided with fixed guide strips 92, 94. On thecounter-arc module 78, the guide strip 96 lying on the outer arc isshortened in order not to impede the free swivelling of the runningwheels 22 of the transport wagons 20. For the same reason, the 90° arcmodules 84, 86 are only provided with guide strips 98, 99 on the innerarc.

According to the invention, the point module 72 has a branch angle ofless than 90°, namely preferably 45°, which allows a narrower parallelspacing of the two transport path routes 76, 80 than the known pointmodules with a branch angle of 90°. A tight reversal loop, correspondingto the narrow parallel spacing of the transport path routes 76, 80, isformed by the direct abutment of two 90° arc modules. For someapplications, it could also be advantageous to design the reversingmodule 82 in one part or to replace the two 90° arc modules by twoadjacently arranged turning devices which each turn the transport wagons20 by 90°. Furthermore, it may be advantageous to provide a transportpath system, in addition to the point modules described according to theinvention, with turning devices whose turning angle is greater than 90°or 180° and which join together a plurality of mutually approachingtransport path routes in a freely selectable manner.

We claim:
 1. In a transporting apparatus including a wagon, a transportpath system and means for guiding the wagon on the transport pathsystem; the improvement wherein said transport path system comprises(a)first and second longitudinally aligned, mutually spaced route modules;(b) a third route module spaced from said first and second route modulesand extending parallel thereto; (c) a point module assembly couplingsaid first, second and third route modules to one another for causingthe wagon to travel from said first route module to said second routemodule through said point module assembly or for causing the wagon totravel from said first route module to said third route module throughsaid point module assembly; said point module assembly including(1) apoint module having(i) two opposite ends coupled to said first andsecond route modules, respectively; (ii) a first, linear wagon-guidingstrip extending between said opposite ends and having operative and aninoperative position; (iii) a second wagon-guiding strip extending fromsaid first route module to an additional end of said point module; saidsecond wagon-guiding strip having, at said additional end, a directionforming an angle of less than 90° with said first wagon-guiding strip;said second wagon-guiding strip including a curved strip portion havingan operative and an inoperative position; and (2) a counter-arc modulehaving(i) a first end arranged face-to-face with said additional end ofsaid point module; (ii) a second end connected to said third routemodule; and (iii) wagon-guiding strips defining a curved travel pathfrom said first end of the counter-arc module to said third routemodule.
 2. A transporting apparatus as defined in claim 1, furthercomprising a reversing module connected to said second and third routemodules at a location spaced from said point module assembly; saidreversing module including fixed wagon-guiding strips defining a travelpath constituting a U-turn; said fixed wagon-guiding strips couplingsaid second and third route modules with one another.
 3. A transportingapparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said angle is 45°.